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This edit predicts trouble ahead for the Congress as it tries to be a “common friend” to “bitter foes” – Samajwadi Party and Bahujan Samaj Party. Although both supported the Congress on Foreign Direct Investment, bringing them together on the constitutional amendment to provide reservations in promotions, will be near-impossible.

The reason is clear. SP is against the bill since it may adversely impact its OBC vote-bank. And BSP is for the bill since their vote-bank, Scheduled Tribes and Schedule Castes, will benefit. And both parties KNOW how valuable they are to the Congress, with Mayawati keen to demonstrate to her voters how she can make the Congress do her bidding. And Congress needs all the numbers it can get in the Lok Sabha.

For now Congress may buy time, but eventually it will have to choose. BSP or SP?

The Bharatiya Janata Party in Karnataka, as the title suggests, is in huge trouble. BS Yeddyurappa’s new party, the Karnataka Janata Party (KJP) made a splash on the political scene with his rally on December 9 in which many BJP MLAs were present. “The BJP, its bluster and confidence gone, has quietly capitulated and deferred and diluted its threat of disciplinary action against 20 of the rebels.”

According to the edit, the BJP government has failed miserably in Karnataka, and the BJP and its doppelganger, the KJP, will have to face the people in election 2013 with this dismal record.

Former Chief Election Commissioner N Gopalaswami writes on why the Aadhar number should be incorporated in the electoral roll and advises that the Election Commission should undertake this exercise sooner, rather than later.

This facility he writes, “will help to minimise malpractices and enable more people to participate in election”. By more people he means those who shift to a different Assembly constituency and members of the armed forces and police who live and serve on duty far away from the places where they are voters, and are not able to exercise their franchise.

Malpractices such as bogus voters and duplication of names in voter lists of two different constituencies can also be easily minimised.

Perhaps some hope of a recovery in the economy. Millions of factories peppered across India had 8.2% more output this October as compared to last October. The edit, however, goes on to explain why we must be cautious before opening the bubbly right now. What follows in the edit is a short lesson in the economics of it all.

It concludes by wondering if the RBI will “sprinkle water on these green shoots by slashing interest rates next week”. The jury, it says, is still out.

Rajdeep Sardesai, Editor-in-Chief, IBN 18 Network, comments on the Congress’ biggest problem in Gujarat (like we didn’t know it) being Brand Modi. He writes, “Ahmedabad’s satta bazaar – often a more accurate barometer of public mood than even psephologists – suggests that most bets are on the margin of Modi’s victory”.

Not willing to dredge up 2002 this time around, the Congress, in its campaign has been sticking to local issues: drinking water, education, low-cost housing etc. The result Sardesai writes, “is a low-key campaign that lives in hope as much as fear”. In the post-script, he points out that Rahul Gandhi chose the last day of the first phase of elections to visit Gujarat.

The edit is in support of the National Investment Board, now called the Cabinet Committee on Investments (CCI), which was cleared on Thursday. It states that such an initiative will make it easier for big projects to get approval and will curtail losses to economy caused by a backlog of projects. Ends on the note that some issues still need to be fine-tuned in the formation of the CCI.

The edit states that the recent outburst by Mayawati against Hamid Ansari, Chairperson, Rajya Sabha, should be used as an opportunity by the chair to “consider extraordinary measures to deter MPs from holding up the House”. The situation it states, may soon be reaching a tipping point.

The edit talks about North Korea’s successful rocket launch, which the country insists carried a weather observation satellite. While calling it a domestic PR job, the edit states that the international community can still not ignore it. It ends by cautioning that “Washington… has to put more pressure on Beijing to rein in an adventurous Pyongyang.”

Abhinav Bindra writes that Indian sports bodies should be more professional and accountable. More former sportspersons should be brought in for expertise and governance but “we must make a clear distinction between administrators and experts”. He talks about the basic things Indian sports organisations need to do to build credibility, but it didn’t really need an Abhinav Bindra to make these points.

Another scathing comment today on unruly Parliament sessions and proceedings. The Parliament, the edit states, is in a state of serious disorder with forced adjournments, absenteeism, chaos and lesser laws being passed.

This edit looks at the Keshubhai Patel impact on Modi’s electoral prospects. Patel’s Gujarat Parivartan Party’s electoral debut is focusing on issues such as economic distress and water scarcity in the politically significant Saurashtra region, all of which can work against Modi.

The edit seems to feel that “the situation has created fertile ground for anti-incumbency, working to Keshubhai’s advantage”.

International Institute for Management Development (IMD) Professor Michael Yaziji’s article focuses on the value of employee engagement in organisations, as they are the real drivers of profit. An employee’s involvement, he writes, is of critical importance.

The edit goes on to say that the ownership structure affects employee engagement and capital-owned and controlled firms, by their very structure, undercut employee engagement. The suggested alternative – employee cooperatives.

“Changing ownership of the firm to include employees has been shown to add to their engagement and the value creation of the firm.”